Page 14 - CinemaRecord #11R.pdf

In between Ballarat and Salvation Anny excursions, Martin Powell ran a successful Internet Workshop which
was attended by ten participants of varying age and computer knowledge.

April commenced with a Film Collectors Get Together at Mike Tricketts' Geelong home. The weather was
perfect for the barbecue that followed the buy, swap and sell activity after which everybody settled in Mike &
Barb's home cinema to enjoy a variety of films, many brought along by the visitors. As well as all the official
events there have been several home cinema shows patronised by a good many CATHS-V members.

Special thanks to Brian Miller who organised the excursions, Martin Powell for arranging the Internet Workshop
and Mike Trickett for setting up the first Film Collectors event.

Annual Weekend Tour- The Murray Valley by Brian Miller

Some thirty members and guests participated in full or part of our annual country Victoria itinerary on the 16th
and 17th of May. Crossing the Great Dividing Range, perfect sunny autumn weather prevailed on both days.
Our gratitude goes to CATHS-V members Neil Harris for co-ordinating arrangements in Seymour and Nagambie,
Michael Purden for arrangements in Mooroopna and Numurkah, and Peter O'Reilly in Cobram. Their special
knowledge of local areas and willingness to assist is much appreciated.

New cinema complexes are appearing in the larger provincial centres now that drive-ins are fairly rare. Sadly,
the small towns find films are uneconomic unless they are sponsored by local councils and volunteers on a co-
operative basis. No proprietor can afford staff, rent and film hire and then play to a handful of patrons.

Seymour: The former Regent Theatre opened around 1938 on one level and is now a seco:ndhand furniture
store. Films shown were mosUy British and westerns due to intense competition from the already established
Town Hall Cinema, now demolished. An influx of troops and later, National Service trainees on leave saw
screenings increased to seven nights a week. An enormous trade was done in milk-shakes, the boys were
deprived of fresh milk at the camp. One patron demanded to know whether there were stables attached to the
theatre. When asked why, he replied "Well, you are forever screening westerns!" Our thanks to Messrs. Val
Gresner, Ron Grattan and Giovanni Munari for specially opening the Regent.

Some members have visited the Seymour Railway Museum previously, but a new attraction is nearing comple-
tion. A 1906 special railway carriage known as "The Royal" has been restored to all its former glory. Parlour
lounges, private compartments, a bathroom and a general air of luxury make this a far cry from the old country
red carriages. It was used as an adjunct to the "Sydney Limited" from Melbourne to Albury, a forerunner of the
"Spirit of Progress•. First class passengers paid a supplement of one shilling and sixpence per person. This
was eventually increased to four shillings, no doubt due to inflation! We are indebted to Messrs. David Watson
and Geoff Lehman for this most interesting stopover.

Nagambie: Our lunch break was beside Lake Nagambie, and Russell Hurren, former projectionist at the Me-
chanics' Institute Hall met us and conducted an inspection. A solid-brick front with a Spanish-style embellish-
ment added later, contains several rooms used as an opportunity shop, to the delight of our shoppers. The hall
at the rear has also been added economically later, with outside corrugated iron walls and inside lined with
plaster board.

Quite a good stage is included in what is a basic country hall. Projectionists presumably were. fit and active as
access to the bio-box is via a vertical steel ladder. We were assured there was also a separate pulley arrange-
ment originally fitted to lift the films upstairs. The mind boggles at the thought of the bio-staff climbing the ladder
and hanging on to a load of film at the same time I

Mooroopna: Arriving at Mooroopna, the new West Side Performing Arts Centre is not immediately apparent
from the Echuca Road. It is not only ultra-modem in appearance but also fonns part of the Mooroopna Second-
ary College. This $2,500,000 centre, officially opened on 1st April, 1998 was one of the tour highlights. Mr. Rob
Robson, the school drama teacher and Arts Centre administrator is to be congratulated on his interest and
enthusiasm in bringing this project to fruition.

Great care has been taken in getting the basic design right. Over 400 seats are tiered and the large stage area
and orchestra pit are very impressive. The auditorium is air-conditioned and further building improvements are
planned as future funds become available. The West Side Perfonning Arts Centre fills and important gap in the
Greater Shepparton entertainment scene.
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